Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: A Pre-Release Novelization
by Duncan Sparks
Summary: Before Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is released on November 20, I've decided to write my own interpretation of what the story will be like. Follow the story of a young boy, transformed into a Pokémon and sent to the opposite world for an unknown purpose, as he makes new friends and enemies, fights to learn his forgotten past, and chases dreams he never expected to have.
1. Prologue

"Guildmaster Ampharos, sir! I believe you have visitors!"

Ampharos abruptly awakened from his daydreaming to find Mawile standing at the door. A slight flash of vexation crossed his face, as he resented being intruded upon during his break. Furthermore, he was not used to visitors, and wondered why someone would possibly want to seek an audience with him so late in the day.

"Do I? Send them in."

Mawile nodded and left the room. Several moments later, the door opened once more, and in walked the Expedition Society's underground specialist, Bunnelby. Ampharos's expression immediately soured when he saw that two Murkrow accompanied him.

"What do you runts think you're doing in my office?" Ampharos demanded as he glared at the two Murkrow.

"I'll _tell_ ya what we're doing…" the Murkrow to Bunnelby's left responded. "We found 'dis guy snoopin' around the boss's quarters this morning, while it was still dark. He turned and ran like a coward when we spotted him, but we grabbed 'im before he could get away."

Ampharos's glare turned to Bunnelby. "And _what_ exactly did you hope to achieve by spying on these runts, Bunnelby?"  
Bunnelby was stricken with intimidation as he attempted to reply. "Well… I… Um… You see, sir… Myself and a couple other Society members have noticed some odd behavior from the Ebony Gang. We suspected that they were planning something to the detriment of the town. So I did a little… 'Detective work.'"

"Detective work my tailbone!" the other Murkrow responded. "Do you know what the boss is gonna do if he finds out stuff like 'dis is happening?"

" _That's enough!_ " Ampharos thundered, and immediately reaped their attention. "I don't care what you think they're planning, Bunnelby. I've told you and the others multiple times that _the Expedition Society does_ not _have any business with the Ebony Guild._ I don't want to see you, or any of the others, near their headquarters again."

"Yeah! You tell 'im, big yellow!" the first Murkrow responded enthusiastically.

"You be quiet," Ampharos cut off his ardor. "I've _also_ made it clear that you runts are not welcome here. Make sure that Honchkrow knows that, too. Now, go on. Hop along back to your boss. And don't come back."

The second Murkrow scowled at him. "This ain't the last you'll see of us, big yellow. Be sure and write that down someplace where ya won't lose it!" The two of them cackled as they rushed out of the office.

Ampharos buried his head in his hand, a migraine clearly starting. His temper had gotten the better of him yet again, and he was aware of it. Bunnelby's concern – and guilt - were equally apparent.

"Sir, I…"

"Just leave, Bunnelby," Ampharos replied. "We'll talk about this later."

Bunnelby solemnly nodded and left the room. As the door shut, Ampharos sighed deeply. He was growing tired of having to deal with trouble like this every single day. He wished the best for the Expedition Society, but the Ebony Gang was making everything twice as difficult.

"Big yellow…" who would have such nerve?


	2. Chapter 1

Sunset had fallen upon the quaint settlement of Serene Village. The sun hung low in the sky, shimmering behind the veil of summer heat, and painted the forest in golden light and long shadows. As the sky grew darker and the sun descended lower, the village's residents began to wind down on their daily agenda. The school teachers finished tidying up their rooms for tomorrow's lesson, Kecleon packed his things and closed his shop for the day, and other shop owners across the village soon followed suit.

Times such as this were the perfect opportunity for the village's residents to take a stroll through the woods and reflect upon the day's accomplishments. And this is precisely what one young Torchic set upon as the sun set. Summer was rapidly approaching, and, for once, she found herself at a loss for what to do during her recess from school. Last year, she had taken a junior acting class at Meowth Theater in Lively Town. It was great fun, but this year she longed for something different. Something to show her mother how much she had grown.

But what?

The Torchic pondered this question for a while, but found no answer. As she approached a small clearing in the woods, another question found its way into her mind. What was she to do about her brother?

Surely, if her brother did not improve his behavior, Principal Simipour would force him to take school over the summer. And, however misbehaved and rowdy her brother was, summer wasn't the same without him.

Torchic smiled as she stepped into the clearing. This petite little vale was one of her favorite places to visit, and she found herself coming here whenever she needed to clear her mind of the struggles of everyday life. The pine trees were whispering in the warm evening breeze, and the sun's soft light framed the clearing in gold.

For several moments, Torchic stood in the warm breeze and took in the vale's beauty. But then a change in the grass's coloration caught her eye. She turned her head toward it, and soon after realized that this darker patch of green wasn't grass at all. It was a Pokémon. A Bulbasaur, lying out cold in the grass.

Torchic couldn't help gasping as she rushed over to the unconscious Pokémon.

"Hey! Are you okay?!" she frantically inquired. The Bulbasaur did not budge.

"Come on! Please wake up!"

She continued to call to him and tried nudging him with her beak several times, both to no avail.

"Oh, no…" she grimly remarked, fearing the worst. "I have to get help!"

With slight hesitation, regretting having to leave the unconscious Pokémon alone, Torchic rushed out of the vale and back to Serene Village, in hopes of finding someone who could help her.

§§§

The boy began to stir. Everything was still dark, and he was still consumed by tremendous pain, but he felt his consciousness slowly returning. When he finally managed to open his eyes halfway, all he could glimpse was a wall of pine trees in front of him, backdropped by a wavering sunset.

He couldn't quite put his hand on it, but he felt… different. Aside from the fact that he had no idea what he was looking at, or where he was, something about himself felt off. He had no time to ponder it, however, as the pain slowly began to overtake him and his eyes were forced shut once more.

"Ugh… can't… hold it together… drifting off…" he muttered to himself as the world faded to black again.

§§§

Torchic returned to the vale shortly later, this time accompanied by her mother, Nuzleaf. Looking at the two of them, one would be justified in questioning their relation. The truth of the matter is a long story which is much better fit for another time.

Nuzleaf's expression sank upon seeing the unconscious Bulbasaur lying in the grass, and the two of them rushed over to him.

"I found him lying here, out cold, a few minutes ago," Torchic explained to her mother with evident concern. "And he's not waking up no matter what I try!"

Nuzleaf walked over and knelt beside the Bulbasaur. Her concern was evidently on level with Torchic's.

"You don't think he's…"

Before Torchic could finish, Nuzleaf placed her hand on the Bulbasaur's chest.

"He's breathing." Both of them uttered a heavy sigh of relief. "But I think he's hurt. We should take him back to the house as soon as possible."

"You're right," Torchic replied. "Let's go."

With a reasonable amount of difficulty, Nuzleaf lifted the unconscious Bulbasaur over her shoulder and, as quickly as she could under his weight, walked back to Serene Village with Torchic following closely behind.

§§§

Consciousness was beginning to reach the boy once again. He now felt much less pain than before, and found it slightly easier to open his eyes. He expected to see the same wall of trees and sunset-dappled sky that he had seen before, but this time it was completely different.

He saw nothing but a dark wooden roof, and a glimpse of a similarly-colored wall. Using what little strength he possessed, he slowly rose upright to find that he was on a peculiarly-designed bed, with straw for a mattress. Despite this, it was surprisingly comfortable.

The boy glanced around the room. Yes, it was clearly a house, but it was the most primitive house he had ever seen. The ceiling, floor, and walls were all made of wood, stacked and arranged in a rather untidy matter. What little furniture he saw – chairs, three other beds, several shelves, and what looked to be a dinner table – were all equally archaic, being made of nothing but wood and leaves. Even the shape of the house was unorthodox: more cylindrical and compact than the traditional cuboid structure he was used to.

The walls, however plain and unmeticulous they appeared in structure, were not bare. Several drawings adorned them, definitely drawn by someone of a young age. Two round windows were on the near and far walls, but they lacked any glass.

"Hey! Look who's awake!"

The boy almost jumped upon hearing this voice, having not even realized that there were others in the room. He turned toward the source of the voice, which was evidently young and feminine. He did not expect to see a Torchic walking toward him. Following her was another Pokémon, with brown skin, a long nose, and a leaf adorning her head.

"You had us worried sick!" the Torchic remarked in relief. Her voice was blissfully childish, even younger-sounding than his own. "We found you out in the forest a few hours ago. You were lying on the ground unconscious. We tried waking you up, but nothing worked, so we brought you back to our house."

The boy cocked his head in confusion. Apparently the scene he had awoken to earlier _was_ real, although it was hard to recall exactly how long ago it was. All he could think about now was how grateful he was that these two Pokémon had cared for him.

Then he stopped for a second.

It took him until now to piece together that these two were talking to him. And they were Pokémon. Such a combination was outlandish at best, and completely inconceivable at worst.

"Hey, are you alright?" the Torchic asked him, trying her hardest to keep on a disarming smile. "You're looking a little… pale in the leaves."

Pale in the leaves?

"Um…" was all he could mutter in response to such a statement. He put his hand to his forehead, as his head was almost spinning from everything he had endured.

That's when he realized that something was wrong.

His hand was a dark emerald green, his fingers replaced by stubby white claws. Looking down at himself, his arms were much shorter than before, and dappled with jagged spots of a darker green. Craning his neck as far behind himself as he could, he found that he now bore a large bulb on his back, comprised of several pale green leaves – the exact ones which the Torchic was referring to. It took him a second to put the pieces together, but then he realized that it was almost as if he had become…

A Bulbasaur?

As soon as this realization crossed his mind, he flew into a panic. His breathing quickened, and he couldn't stop staring down at himself. This was too much for him to bear.

 _This can't be happening. This can't be happening…_ he couldn't help but repeat to himself. He clenched his eyes shut and tried his hardest to convince himself that everything was a dream, but upon opening them again everything remained the same.

"Whoa! What's wrong?!" the Torchic frantically asked in response to his panic.

"He's probably burning up after lying in the sun for so long," the Nuzleaf suggested half-correctly. She rushed over to a small basin of water, submerged a plant fiber cloth in it, and then hurried back over and pressed it to the Bulbasaur's forehead. The cold water calmed him ever so slightly, but he still could not stop himself from shaking in shock.

"That better?" the Nuzleaf kindly inquired, evidently still worried.

"Mm…" the Bulbasaur groaned in response, now almost shivering from the raging battle between hot and cold on his forehead. The Nuzleaf was well aware of the slight (or much more than slight, in his mind) shock that he was experiencing at the moment, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Take a deep breath for me, alright? You're fine now. I promise," she reassured him. He followed her guidance, breathing deeply, and his pounding heart slowly returned to its normal rate.

 _My heart is… still beating,_ he reassured himself. _I'm still alive. I'm just… not human anymore. I'm a Bulbasaur._

The Torchic, evidently joyous of the Bulbasaur's recovery, smiled and walked over to his bedside. "Good to see that you're feeling better!" she remarked. A burning question had been nested in her mind for a while now, and she couldn't help but asking it as she gazed out the window, toward the forest. "So… how did you end up out there?"

The Bulbasaur's confusion was apparent in his expression.

"You know…" the Torchic continued. "Why were you lying unconscious in that clearing? Did you get lost in the woods and couldn't find your way home?"

The Bulbasaur wanted badly to answer, but he couldn't. His mind was blank – everything that happened prior to his first awakening several hours ago a blur.

"Oh, you're not the talkative type, are you?" the Torchic asked, smiling sheepishly.

"Torchic, honey," Nuzleaf said, placing her hand on the Torchic's shoulder. "I'm sure he's still very weak. He probably doesn't want to talk right now."

"Aw, come on! You can talk for me, right?" she asked the Bulbasaur. The Nuzleaf sighed, knowing that she wouldn't win this battle. The Bulbasaur remained silent.

"Not even one word, huh?" the Torchic inquired with slight disappointment. "What about your name? Can you tell me your name?"

By this point, the Bulbasaur was reasonably confident in his ability to speak. He was still rather spooked by the fact that these two Pokémon could speak – not to mention the fact that he was now one himself – but they had proven to be hospitable and understanding, so his apprehension was beginning to wane.

"M-my name is…" he began. His voice was much less weak than he had anticipated. "My name is… Ray."

"Ray?" The Torchic tilted her head in inquiry. "That's… an interesting name." He could see both disapproval and agreement on Nuzleaf's face in response to this statement.

"So, Ray…" the Torchic began once again. "Do you remember how you got here?"

"I… honestly don't," Ray replied. "In fact, I don't remember much of anything before I woke up."

"You lost your memory, huh?" the Torchic asked him. "Maybe you hit your head, or something?"

Something told Ray that this was definitely not the case.

"Maybe," he nonetheless agreed. "But… there's something else."

Torchic and Nuzleaf turned toward him in curiosity. "Oh? And what would that be?" Nuzleaf asked.

"Well…" he began.

Should he tell them? They seemed to be such nice Pokémon, and he did not wish for them to think him insane for claiming he was actually a human. But, then again, telling nobody would certainly never lead to finding a solution to his problem.

"Go on! You can tell us anything!" Torchic reassured him.

"Well… you see…" he hesitantly began again. "I'm actually a-"

With perfectly inopportune timing, Ray was cut off by the front door bursting open. In walked a Chespin, who looked to be about the same age as Torchic.

"Hey, Mom!" he greeted Nuzleaf with a predictably childish voice. "Sorry I'm late!"

Nuzleaf's disapproval was evident. "Chespin, _where_ have you been for the past two hours?" she chided him firmly. "I told you I wanted both of you home by sunset."

"I'm sorry, Mom," he replied with a sheepish smile. "I was just over by the river, hanging out with some friends from school."

Nuzleaf sighed heavily. "They grow up so fast…" she muttered to herself. "Well, why don't you say hello to our guest? I'm sure he could use the company."

Chespin was confused for a moment, but then glimpsed Ray sitting on the bed and walked over to him.

"Oh, you mean this Bulbasaur?" he inquired.

"His name is Ray," Torchic sternly corrected him. "We found him unconscious in a clearing in the forest. We thought he was hurt, so we brought him here."

"Oh. Well, I'm Chespin! Nice to meet you!" her brother introduced himself.

"Hee hee… I should probably introduce myself as well…" Torchic followed, slightly embarrassed at her misconduct. "I'm Torchic. Nice to meet you as well, Ray!"

Ray didn't know how to respond, so he simply smiled.

"It seems a little weird that you would just end up unconscious in a forest…" Chespin chimed in. "How did that happen?"

"Ray was just telling us about that," Torchic replied. "Oh, right! What were you about to say earlier, Ray? You said there was something you wanted to tell us."

"Well, I, um…" he hesitated. "This is probably going to sound crazy, but…"

"Just tell us already!" Chespin urged him. Now all three of them were fixated on Ray, and he had little choice but to speak the truth.

"I'm actually… a human."

For a very long moment, none of them said anything, only expressing varying amounts of shock.

Then Chespin started laughing.

"You're a _human?_ " he exclaimed. "Humans don't exist! They're only in bedtime stories and fairy tales!"

This was an awkward deadlock. Ray wanted to refute Chespin's claim, but it applied inversely as well. There were no Pokémon in Ray's world – he had merely heard about them. From where? He could not remember.

"Chespin, _stop!_ " both Torchic and Nuzleaf scolded him at the same time. Judging by their lack of reaction, they must had said those words in unison many times before.

Ray's expression sank. Perhaps assuming that they would believe him was too much. He didn't blame them, after all – he could hardly believe it himself. It felt strange, almost as if he had been a Bulbasaur his entire life.

"Is that really true, Ray?" Nuzleaf asked him with evident concern. Maybe while Chespin dismissed his claim as rubbish, the other two would be more willing to believe him. Ray simply nodded in response.

"But, that doesn't make any sense!" Torchic followed. "How could a human change into a Pokémon? And what brought you here from your world in the first place?"

Ray, unfortunately, still had no answers to these questions.

"Oh, Ray…" Nuzleaf wistfully said, kneeling down next to him. "Your family must be worried sick. To have someone you love taken away from you in the blink of an eye… that's a feeling that no one could bear imagining."

Ray was holding back tears at her words. He didn't truly realize that he was so far away from his family until this moment. Worse still, he couldn't even remember their faces. His mind was still clouded over.

"Don't worry, Ray," Torchic reassured him as she walked over. "We'll help you get back to your family. Right, Chespin?"

"Yeah!" Chespin followed. "I know how lonely _I_ feel when our mom isn't with us. You shouldn't have to feel that way!"

Ray smiled. "Thanks, guys." He felt a new sense of hope, now that these three kind Pokémon were helping him.

"Well, in the meantime, Ray…" Nuzleaf began. "Would you like to stay with us?"

He couldn't help a trace of shock from adorning his face. "Wh-what?"

"You don't have a place to stay while you're here, do you?" she inquires. "And I'm sure you would like someone to look after you, right?"

Ray couldn't disagree with these questions. He nodded.

"Well, you're free to stay with us," Nuzleaf proclaimed.

"Really?" Ray inquired. Torchic and Chespin echoed the word a few moments after.

"Of course!" Nuzleaf replied. "What's one more mouth to feed? Besides, after all you've been through, I wouldn't want to see you sleep outside!"  
Ray chuckled. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it!" she replied. "I'm Nuzleaf, by the way."

"Nuzleaf…" Ray repeated, and smiled. "Nice to meet you."

§§§

Night had now fallen over Serene Village. The torches dotting the area cast a gentle orange light across the town, complimented by the pale glimmer of the moon. The residents gradually closed their doors, snuffed out their candles, and turned in for the night, eager for a new day in the morning.

Ray took much less time than he thought to settle into bed. Yes, it was still made of wood, and yes, the mattress was still nothing but straw, but it was still surprisingly comfortable. He certainly would have preferred it over sleeping in the grass outside, as he feared he would have to before Nuzleaf offered to let him stay at their house.

Ray's bed was located beneath one of the windows, with Chespin's just to the left, and Torchic's at the other end. These two, as well as Nuzleaf, who was sleeping in a larger bed on the other side of the room, fell fast asleep remarkably quickly. Ray, on the other hand, stayed awake for what seemed like ages. Too many questions and thoughts permeated his mind for sleep to even be a possibility.

The obvious questions were foremost in his mind. What had happened to him? Why was he here, in what seemed to be a world populated solely by Pokémon? Why had he been changed into a Bulbasaur? And, through it all, how had he managed to lose his memory? He still held the answers to none of these questions, and was bothered by their constant surfacing in his thoughts.

Other questions provoked him as well. How long would he be here? How long would it be before he could see his family again? He still nearly shed a tear whenever he thought of them, even though he still could not remember their faces.

Thankfully, Nuzleaf, Torchic, and – with a touch of reinforcement from the others – Chespin, had believed his story. And now he had a place to stay while he was in this world. This gave him hope, as he knew that if the Pokémon in this world were so kind, he could trust anyone to help him.

Holding these thoughts in his mind, he decided that he had to try and get some sleep. Who knew what events could unfold tomorrow? He turned to a comfortable position, let his eyes fall shut, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _"_ _What is the meaning of this?!"_

 _"_ _What do you hope to accomplish? Are you blind to this world's fate?"_

 _"_ _My brothers. Far too long have you kept me sealed away. Your era of dominance over this region – this world – has passed."_

 _"_ _We will not allow you to escape."_

 _"_ _The corrupt are not meant to rule."_

 _"_ _You fools… there is nothing you can do. You are but flecks of light. And we are an eclipse."_


	3. Chapter 2

Ray seemed to be able to find no pleasant end to his slumbers, as he felt someone vigorously shaking him awake.

"Come on, Ray! Get up! We're gonna be late!" He immediately recognized the voice as Chespin's. Begrudgingly, he opened his eyes, clumsily fumbled out of bed, and stretched.

"Late… for what…?" he yawned, still not fully awake.

"For school, of course!" Torchic answered as she walked over. "You _do_ have school back in your world, right?"

Ray almost had to stop himself from groaning very loudly. School had never been one of his favorite things in the world, but now he would be going to a school for _Pokémon?_ He felt lowly and irritated at the same time. And yet, despite this, he was willing to. Perhaps he was curious of what it would be like, or was interested in what he could learn from such a different school.

Or perhaps being a Bulbasaur was beginning to have effects on his mind. One of the three.

Thus, Torchic and Chespin were somewhat surprised when Ray showed no objection. Judging from his expression, Ray could tell that Chespin was not at all a fan of school either, although he couldn't yet say the same about Torchic.

"I'm pretty sure we have an extra bag you can take," she said as she walked over to a small cabinet on the far side of the room. After rifling through its contents for a few moments, she snatched out a small burlap messenger bag with a strap, and brought it over to Ray. The way she held things with her beak was somewhat amusing to him.

"Thanks," he replied as he accepted the bag from her. It was miniscule compared to anything similar he had previously seen, but was nonetheless the perfect size since he was now smaller as well.

"Well, we should probably get going," Torchic remarked. "School is starting soon."

Ray suddenly found a burning question in his mind. He hadn't realized until now that there was not a single clock in the house, and doubted there would be others in the village.

"Hey, Torchic…" he began. "How do you measure time here?"

The sheer confusion on her face made him sorry he asked.

"Um… how do you measure time in _your_ world?"

Ray struggled for a moment to find an explanation which wouldn't confuse her even further. "Well, everything is on a tight schedule. At seven in the morning, I get out of bed. At eight-thirty, I go to school. At twelve-"

He drifted off as soon as he noticed that Torchic's perplexed expression still remained. _So much for not confusing her…_ he thought to himself.

"Um… _well…_ " Torchic began, still looking at Ray as if he were crazy. "We _sort_ of have a schedule at our school, but everyone just… knows when to show up. Don't worry – you'll get used to it."

Now Ray was the confused one. How could these Pokémon tell time without clocks? How did they know precisely when to be at events such as school? Perhaps it was also an instinct which would come to him in time.

"We should get going," Chespin suggested. "Wouldn't want to be late on your first day, would you, Ray?"

Ray chuckled. "I guess not," he replied in agreement as the three of them began to depart.

"Have a good day at school, kids!" Nuzleaf bid them farewell. "Oh! Ray, you're going as well?"

"I guess I am," he remarked in response. "I mean, I don't know how long I'll be here, so I probably shouldn't be missing school, right?"

"I suppose you're right," Nuzleaf replied. "Well, hopefully it won't be too different from what you're used to."

"Hopefully," Ray agreed. "See you later!"

"Bye!"

The three of them departed, their bags slung around their necks. Somehow Ray knew that it wouldn't be so easy to carry on their way home.

This was also the first time that Ray had walked a reasonable distance as a Bulbasaur. Walking on four legs definitely took a fair amount of getting used to, but it was much less awkward than he had anticipated. It certainly gave him a feel for how small he now was – what looked to be relatively squat buildings across the village now towered above him.

On their relatively short walk to the school, the three Pokémon passed by several remarkable structures. A large building with a roof shaped like a sun. A small shop with a Kecleon behind the counter. Several quaint drawbridges. And countless houses. Although it was all primitive architecture, Ray was still rather surprised by the ability of these Pokémon to build such structures, all completely off of the land. It made this world feel much less like a foreign land and more similar to his own world, however different they really were.

Upon reaching the exterior of the school, framed by two somewhat arched trees, Ray noticed a placard carved into one of them. It read:

 _Serene Village School_

 _Established 819 A.D._

Something was evidently odd about this. Yes, the year listed on the placard _looked_ like a date which would show up in Ray's own world, but the year number was… over a thousand years off. He could only conclude that they labeled their years differently. And what of the "A.D.?" Surely it stood for something different than it did in his world.

"Hey, guys?" he asked Torchic and Chespin, pointing toward the placard. "What does 'A.D.' stand for?"

They took a moment to answer. "I don't actually know," Torchic eventually replied. "Do you know, Chespin?"

"Nope," he followed. "They haven't taught us that yet. You could try asking Nuzleaf when we get home."

Ray nodded, and kept this in the back of his mind. Why he was so curious he didn't particularly know, but he figured that the more he was familiar with this world, the less he would struggle to understand it in the future.

The three of them walked through the small courtyard at the front of the school, which itself was atop a small cliff overlooking the courtyard. A grand set of stairs (for the architecture of the Pokémon, at least) led up to its entrance.

"So, where am I supposed to go, exactly?" Ray inquired as they scaled the stairs, which was remarkably difficult to do on four legs.

"Well…" Torchic began in response. "Why don't you come with us? We're both in the same class, and Mr. Fetch probably won't mind you joining."

"Mr. Fetch?"

"He's our teacher," Torchic informed him. "He's a little… strict at times, but as long as you listen to him, you'll be fine."

Ray was slightly worried by this statement, as he had had classes with strict teachers before, and, although he was a good student, still found himself in trouble on rare occasions. Of particular prominence in his mind was… no. He still couldn't remember anyone's name.

Judging from the other Pokémon "students" making their way into the main school building, the three of them decided to make haste and find their classroom. Ray was essentially blind as he followed Torchic and Chespin through an unfamiliar building to an unfamiliar classroom. The entirety of the school was comprised of several smaller buildings, linked by cozy wooden hallways. Overall, the school appeared to have only a few classrooms, and was miniscule compared to what Ray was used to. But perhaps this wasn't a bad thing.

The two of them finally made a left near the end of a hallway and stepped into one of the classrooms, and Ray followed suit. Something was immediately and blatantly apparent: the classroom had no ceiling. Common sense stated that nothing but windows and candles was not the most effective method of lighting a classroom, but it was an extraneous touch nonetheless.

The classroom was about the same size as Ray expected, although it was certainly smaller than it appeared, due to his own small size. Further to Ray's surprise, there were no chairs. Or were there no desks? It was hard to tell, since in the place of each pair was a simple slab of wood. They appeared more like desks than chairs, implying that the students spent most of the time standing. This was somewhat unfortunate for Ray, as standing on four legs was tiring at the best of times.

At the front of the classroom was a long desk, behind which stood a Farfetch'd. Ray could only assume this was Mr. Fetch. Behind him was a blackboard, although it was displayed in a peculiar manner: it hung from an arched section of the wall, which almost looked like a tree trunk. The architecture of these Pokémon was more and more intriguing to Ray by the minute.

The three of them were not the first ones into the classroom. Already at their desks were a Goomy, a Deerling, and an Espurr. The Goomy and Deerling were engaged in conversation, but the Espurr was sitting by itself on the opposite side of the room.

Torchic and Chespin walked over to two adjacent desks in the second row from the front, near the left side of the room. Torchic's desk was on the very left, while Chespin's was one to the right.

"I don't think that desk is taken," Chespin said to Ray, pointing to the desk to the right of his. Ray nodded and made his way over. As he walked across the classroom, all three of the other students turned and stared in his direction. The fact that he was new to the school was apparent. Even so few pairs of eyes fixated on him was the slightest bit unnerving, but he decided to disregard it for the moment.

For now, he wasn't interested in talking to anyone besides Torchic and Chespin. He always considered himself a shy person, but in this different world from his he only felt those feelings stronger.

Several minutes passed by, and other students began to file into the room. A Patrat, a Numel, a Spheal, and a Skitty, among others. Soon all of the desks were occupied, save for two.

"Alright, class," Mr. Fetch suddenly announced, bringing the students' side conversations to a halt. "It seems as though everyone is here, so I suppose we should get started. Good morning, hope you're all having a fantastic day, yada yada yada, et cetera."

Monotone was a miserable understatement for Mr. Fetch's voice. Not only did his voice lack any sort of emotion or zeal, but every word he spoke almost sounded sarcastic. It was almost as if he didn't have a care in the world for teaching. Somehow, though, Ray knew that this wasn't exactly the case.

"Um, Mr. Fetch?" Torchic called out. It seemed as though the practice of raising hands was not in employment in this school. "Haven't you noticed our new student?"

It took Ray a moment to realize that she was motioning toward him, and now the eyes of the _entire class_ were upon him. For once, he wished that Torchic had kept her… beak closed.

"Ah, yes. My sincerest apologies," Mr. Fetch replied. Now Ray couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not. "If you would please introduce yourself, new student. We'd all love to know your name."

Ray took quite a long while to comply. It was as if his voice had suddenly refused to work in the presence of all of these Pokémon. He hadn't actually talked to anyone besides Torchic, Chespin, or Nuzleaf as of yet, as this wasn't exactly an opportune time to do so. But he figured that he had to start somewhere.

"My name is… Ray."

For an uncomfortably long moment, everyone in the class remained silent, still staring at him.

" _Ray?_ "

He and everyone else in the room turned around toward the voice's source. It was a Pancham, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed.

"That's the strangest name I've heard in my life!" he scoffed. "What were your parents thinking?"

"Yeah!" immediately followed a Shelmet who had moseyed into the doorway behind Pancham. "What kind of name _is_ that?"

As if on cue, several of the other classmates began laughing along with them. They hadn't seemed to have any problems with his name several moments ago – perhaps they respected Pancham and Shelmet's opinion to the extent that they would laugh anyway? This sudden rush of embarrassment was too much for Ray to bear, and he promptly buried his face in his arms.

"They're the school bullies," Chespin explained to him as the laughter continued. "They pick on me all the time, too. Don't listen to them."

This didn't make Ray feel much better, as not listening to them only made it easier to hear the laughter of everyone else. He had had very small encounters with bullies in the past, but never to such a blatant extent.

" _EVERYONE QUIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEET!_ "

The entire class snapped into silence and immediately turned toward the front of the room. Ray was in shock, never expecting someone as monotone as Mr. Fetch to have such an outburst. He concluded that this was why Torchic advised to always listen to him, and he couldn't attempt to disagree.

"Now, then." He turned toward Pancham and Shelmet. "It's not nice to make fun of new students' names, you two. Also, let's not forget the fact that you're both late. Again."

"Hehe… sorry, Mr. Fetch," Pancham sheepishly replied as the two of them made their way to their desks. Mr. Fetch seemed completely monotone once again, and didn't sound terribly irritated at the two. Ray could only assume this was more sarcasm.

"I apologize profusely, Ray," he said, turning his gaze in his direction. Ray was almost more intimidated by Mr. Fetch than by the two bullies, due to the pure fact that his constant ennui made it impossible to read his level of irritation.

§§§

The morning class was largely uneventful, although Ray did learn some fascinating new information about the Pokémon world. For instance, the fact that it was divided into four "regions." The region they were in was called Almia, and the other four were Oblivia, Kilionea, and Luxae. He also learned the beginnings of history of some of the other, larger towns in the region – most prominently, Lively Town, which was only a modest walk away from Serene Village. Most of these towns had apparently been established by small groups of explorers charting the region, and they later attracted attention and became thriving communities.

Thankfully, the class remained relatively silent following Mr. Fetch's outburst. Pancham and Shelmet left Ray alone – for the time being, at least – and no opportunities were had for him to get acquainted with the other students. This was welcome to some extent, as most of the students had laughed at him alongside Pancham and Shelmet, none of whom he had any interest in talking to any time soon.

After a morning filled with learning and plentiful sarcasm from Mr. Fetch, the students were released to their lunch break, in a small fenced-off area behind the main school building. Ray followed Torchic and Chespin to their favorite spot, under a small tree bearing blue berries.

As the three of them sat down, Ray came to a vexing realization.

"Wait a minute… I forgot to bring a lunch."

They had been such in a hurry to leave in the morning that the thought had never crossed his mind. Chespin and Torchic must have prepared their lunches before he even woke up.

"Oh, don't worry!" Torchic replied. "We didn't bring lunches either."

"You… didn't?" Ray inquired, now incredibly confused.

"Nope. We do something different," Chespin informed him. He then stood and walked toward another student standing by the fence. "Hey, Cranidos!"

"Yeah?" he replied. Chespin motioned toward the berry tree.

"Could you…?"

"Of course," Cranidos confidently replied. He began backing up slightly, and Chespin moved well out of the space in front of him. Torchic subsequently stood up and did the same.

"You… might want to stand back," she suggested to Ray. He was still confused, but nonetheless complied and backed away from the tree. He found an explanation when he turned toward Cranidos and saw him charging headfirst toward the berry tree. He rammed into the trunk at full speed, causing countless of the blue-colored berries to fall from its branches and yet, miraculously, leaving it otherwise intact.

"Awesome! Thanks, Cranidos!" Chespin commended him.

"Yeah, no problem!" Cranidos replied. He seemed completely unscratched, despite having just crashed into a tree trunk while running at the speed of an Olympic sprinter. Ray concluded that his skull must have been harder than a rock.

Thinking nothing more of what just transpired, Torchic and Chespin sat back down under the tree and each grabbed a fallen berry or two.

"Aren't you gonna have a berry, Ray?" Chespin asked, taking a bite out of his own.

"Um… sure," Ray replied, wondering if the two of them went through that exact same procedure at lunch every day. Dismissing the thought, he sat back down and picked up one of the blue berries. It was slightly larger than he anticipated, with a squat shape and a bumpy texture. He _had_ grown rather hungry by this point, so he took a small bite. It tasted similar to a blueberry, but not nearly as bitter and much sweeter. Before he realized, the entire berry was gone.

They _were_ rather tasty.

For the remainder of their lunch, the three of them continued to dine on berries from the tree while exchanging cordial conversation. Their topics of conversation varied, from the lessons of the day, to recent events in the village, to why the _heck_ Mr. Fetch carried a leek everywhere. Later, however, their topic shifted to themselves.

"So, Ray…" Torchic began. "What are you going to do while you're here?"

"Huh?"

"You know… don't you want to do something interesting? Summer is coming up soon, and we won't have to worry about school. Also, like you said, who knows how long you'll be here… so you may as well make the most of it, right?"

Ray couldn't argue, and nodded in agreement. "But, what, exactly?"

"Well…" Torchic replied. "Last summer, I took an acting class at Meowth Theater in Lively Town. We had a session every week, and then near the end of the summer we put on a huge play that all of our friends came and watched. It was really fun."

Ray nodded, although the prospect of acting was never that interesting to him. At the moment, though, he couldn't quite put his hand on what was.

"But this year I want to do something different," she followed. "I don't have any ideas yet, though." She then turned to Chespin. "What about you, Chespin? What do you want to do this summer?" She was well aware that Chespin's behavior in school was pointing toward having to take school over the summer, but she was still searching for a solution to that problem and didn't want to bring down his hopes.

"Um… well…" he began, oddly nervous. "There's something I _want_ to do, but I don't think it'll happen."

"And what's that?"

He stayed quiet for a moment, almost as if he was afraid to tell them. Ray saw him as outgoing and social at first, but this moment proved that similarities actually existed between the two of them. Finally, he gathered his courage and spoke.

"I want to join the Expedition Society."

Torchic, actually having known what he was talking about, looked evidently surprised. "The Expedition Society?! Since when?"

"A long time, actually," Chespin replied. "The year I started school, when you hadn't yet, the Society actually visited our class."

" _Guildmaster Ampharos_ visited your class?!"  
"No, but a couple other members of the Society did. They told us all about the places they had explored, the artifacts they had found, and the roles each of them played. It was awesome to listen to, and from that day onward I've always wondered what it would be like to be one of them."

Torchic turned to Ray. "You're probably a little confused, aren't you, Ray?" Both of them chuckled, and Ray nodded.

"The Expedition Society is a small guild of adventurers based in Lively Town," Chespin began to explain. "They explore the world, mapping it out while collecting any artifacts they find that tell us about the past. Not only that, but they told us that they get to help other Pokémon. Sometimes they'll search for lost items, and other times they'll even rescue Pokémon who got lost in dangerous places."

He turned his head to the ground. "But… I know that all I can do is dream. The Expedition Society doesn't allow kids to join."

"Oh…" Ray sadly replied. "Well, it's probably dangerous work, right?"

"Well, yeah…" Chespin replied. "But I know I can handle it! I've explored the forest by myself countless times. With the help of a few other Pokémon, I could explore anywhere in the world!

"…but I'll just have to wait until I'm older."

For some reason, the idea of exploring this world fascinated Ray. He _did_ enjoy traveling to other places in his own world, and now it seemed like an even more interesting prospect. Unfortunately, he was about the same age as Chespin, and would have to wait as well.

Their conversation continued for several minutes longer, and then the three of them were approached by another student. It was Goomy, the one who had been talking with Deerling before class.

"Hey, guys!" he greeted them. "Mind if I sit here?"

"Sure!" Torchic replied, and Goomy sat down next to Ray.

"So, how's it going?"

"Pretty well," Torchic replied. "We were just telling Ray all about the Expedition Society."

"Ooh! I wonder if they're going to visit our school again this year?" Goomy replied. "Does that sort of thing interest you, Ray?"

Ray nodded. "Yeah, actually. I like discovering new places, so the Expedition Society sounds like a pretty cool group. I might even want to join them someday."  
Chespin looked rather surprised. "Really? You too? I didn't expect that."

Quite frankly, Ray didn't expect it either. After all, he _hoped_ that he wouldn't remain in the Pokémon world until he was old enough to join the Society, but he felt that he should at least make it apparent that he and Chespin shared the same interests.

Goomy looked ready to say something, but abruptly cut himself off when he saw Pancham and Shelmet approaching the four of them.

"Hey, look who it is," Pancham scoffed. "It's Goomy and Chespin. And… _Ray_. Y'know, I'm still trying to figure out what that name means. You don't look anything like a Luxray…"

"Yeah, are you having an identity crisis or something?" Shelmet followed. Ray began to notice that Pancham always did all the real talking, while Shelmet only appropriated his words.

"Leave him alone!" Goomy demanded. "Just because he's new here doesn't mean that you can pick on him like that!"

Torchic and Chespin looked utterly shocked. Perhaps they had never seen Goomy speak in such a way in the face of these two?

"Why is that, exactly?" Pancham grumbled. "And who are you to talk to me like that, _Goomy the Coward?_ "

"I… I…" Goomy didn't know how to respond. "Don't call me that!"

Pancham and Shelmet laughed. "Need I remind you of the time you _hid under the teacher's desk_ during that thunderstorm?" Pancham gloated. "Or the several times that you _screamed_ when someone snuck up behind you?"

" _I AM NOT A COWARD!"_

Pancham and Shelmet recoiled. Even they were not expecting such an outburst from someone like Goomy. At this point, Ray felt even worse for Goomy than he did for himself, even though he had been the initial target of Pancham's mocking.

"Oh, really?" Pancham inquired. He stepped toward Goomy and crouched down so that their faces were inches from each other.

"Prove it."

Without saying another word, the two of them walked away, still laughing.

Goomy was breathing heavily, and Ray couldn't tell if he was about to burst into tears or utterly lose his temper. He remained uncomfortably quiet for several more moments, and then simply got up and stormed off. Ray could hear him utter three words under his breath as he left.

" _I'll show him…_ "

* * *

" _Are you certain of this?"_

 _"_ _Yes, my lord. And I believe I know its location. It is hidden deep within a cave to the east of the village."_

 _"_ _Very well. Retrieve it at once. We cannot count on its security forever, with so many Pokémon exploring the wilds near the village."_

 _"_ _Of course, my lord."_


	4. Chapter 3

The remainder of the school day was fairly uneventful. Ray met the class's afternoon teacher, Mrs. Audino, who was much, _much_ friendlier than Mr. Fetch, but other than this, nothing substantial occurred. Ray did not learn anything particularly interesting, and, thankfully, Pancham and Shelmet did not bother anyone for the rest of the day.

Ray could not stop thinking about Goomy, however. He seemed to have been thrown into a blind rage after Pancham had finished calling him a coward, to a degree which Torchic and Chespin had apparently never seen before. He had also stated that he would "show them" that he was not a coward, but what exactly was he planning to do? Something dangerous? Ray hoped not.

After the school day had concluded and Mrs. Audino bid the class farewell, the students rushed out of the room, through the halls and out the front of the school, relishing their temporary freedom as always. What agenda Pokémon children had to attend to after school Ray did not know, but one fact was certain: he did not have any of his own. Therefore, continuing to accompany Torchic and Chespin was his only logical choice.

"So, where to?" Ray inquired as the three of them were descending the stairs in front of the school.

"Well," Torchic replied. "I think we should-"

She drifted off as she beheld something worrying in front of her, and directed the others' attention to it as well. It was Goomy, following a path into the forest just to the left of the school. The route's entrance was rather well-concealed by shrubbery, and had they looked a second later they would have missed him.

"Isn't that… Goomy?" Torchic inquired. Ray and Chespin nodded in confirmation.

"Where is he going?" Ray followed. "Do you two know where that path leads?"

Chespin shook his head. "It looks like it goes toward the heart of the woods, but… Torchic and I have never gone that way before. Why would he be going into the woods, anyway?"

Ray decided that now was an appropriate time to reveal what he had heard Goomy muttering.

"What?! You think he's going in there to prove to Pancham that he's not a coward?" Chespin frantically asked. "But… what if he's going somewhere dangerous? And he's all alone!"

"We can't just let him get into trouble!" Torchic adamantly declared. "Come on! We have to follow him!"

Ray and Chespin nodded, and the three of them rushed toward the shrouded path into the woods. Upon breaking through the shrubbery, however, Goomy was nowhere in sight. Presumably, he had taken off after realizing that no one could see him.

"Where did he go?!" Chespin began to panic.

"He can't be far!" Torchic concluded, and they continued down the winding path. As they rushed through the forest, Ray took several glances at the environment around them. The trees were remarkably similar to those in his own world, bearing deep, viridian pine needles. Flowers of various colors dotted the ground, swaying in the afternoon breeze. He spotted several wild Pokémon, some even smaller than himself, observing them as they passed. Even in this moment of urgency, he couldn't help but feel captivated by the forest's gorgeous scenery.

After several minutes of running, the three pursuing Pokémon still found no sight of Goomy. It was becoming apparent that he knew they were following him, and was deliberately trying to avoid being discovered. Nonetheless, they pressed onward through the forest, determined to keep their friend out of danger.

Eventually, the three of them reached a clearing, similar to the one in which Torchic had first found Ray, except much larger. Several large rocks were scattered around, and a small cliff accompanied by a cave entrance dominated the left side. Standing just outside of the cave entrance was Goomy.

"Goomy!" Chespin called, and the three rushed to meet him as he turned in their direction.

"Wh… what are you doing here?" he inquired, a strange blend of nervousness and vexation on his face.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Chespin asked. "How did you even know this clearing was here?"

"I've… been here a few times," Goomy replied. He didn't bother answering the first question, and instead turned back toward the cave entrance. His face filled with determination.

"Those two think I'm a coward… but I'll show them!"

Ray was beginning to piece things together. _Goomy must want to explore that cave to prove his courage to Pancham and Shelmet,_ he concluded to himself. Judging from the worry on Torchic and Chespin's faces, they had both come to the same presumption.

"Hold on, what does that sign say?" Chespin inquired, noticing a small wooden sign staked outside of the cave. All three of them walked over to it in curiosity. Torchic and Chespin gasped upon reading it.

 _CAUTION!_

 _Mystery Dungeon, dead ahead_

"This is a _Mystery Dungeon_ , Goomy!" Chespin exclaimed. "And you were gonna go in there _alone?_ What were you thinking?!"

Ray was evidently confused. "Wait, what's a Mystery Dungeon?"

Torchic turned toward him. "A Mystery Dungeon is a phenomenon that can occur in caves, canyons, old ruins, or other places. It makes the location into a maze, and the maze changes every time you enter the dungeon."

Ray recoiled. "What?! How can that even happen?"

"No one knows," Torchic replied. "Studies have been going on for a long time, but no one can find a real explanation. I guess that's why they're called _Mystery_ Dungeons."

"The point is, they're dangerous places!" Chespin followed, then turned back to Goomy. "And we're not letting you go in there alone, Goomy!"

"But… I have to," he replied. "You heard Pancham and Shelmet call me a coward. I have to prove them wrong! I have to show them that I'm brave!"

"Goomy," Torchic tried to convince him. "It doesn't matter what they tell you. As long as you yourself know that you're brave, you don't have to convince anyone further. And you definitely don't have to wander into a Mystery Dungeon by yourself to do it."

"Yeah," Ray followed. "You heard Pancham and Shlemet making fun of my name. All they're doing is finding one quirk and using it against you. Just don't listen to them. Because what they _aren't_ talking about are all the good things about yourself."

Goomy stood for several long moments in thought. Ray hoped that he had convinced him that Pancham and Shelmet were in the wrong, and that he didn't need to travel into a dangerous cave by himself to show them that he wasn't a coward.

But then that look of determination returned to his face, and he flipped the entire conversation upside-down.

"You three come inside with me, then."

All three of them recoiled.

" _What?!_ "

He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, guys. I appreciate everything you told me." He turned back to the cave. "But I'm determined. I'm not going to let Pancham and Shelmet pick on me ever again. And the only way that's going to happen is if I go in there."

The three of them remained stunned for several moments more, but then Chespin stepped forward and said something completely unexpected.

"You're right. We'll go with you."

The shock adorning Torchic and Ray's faces grew even more exaggerated.

"Chespin!" Torchic exclaimed. "You were just telling him not to go in, and now _you_ want to?!"

"I know I told him that he didn't need to, but…" Chespin paused for a moment in thought. "He's determined to demonstrate his courage. And I think we should help him. Because he's our friend."

This statement swayed the idea slightly further from complete ridiculousness, but Torchic and Ray were still not keen on following it.

"That doesn't change the fact that going in there could spell disaster for _all_ of us!" Torchic continued to emphasize. "Also, do you _know_ what Nuzleaf would do if she found out we explored a Mystery Dungeon? We may not even be able to get home in time if we go in there!"

Even Chespin was having trouble refuting her claims. "Look… we won't take long. We'll just go in, explore a bit, and then leave. We'll be home before Nuzleaf suspects a thing. Also, there's four of us. I think, working together, we can handle ourselves if we find any trouble."

Torchic sighed heavily, knowing that she wasn't going to win this argument. "What do you think, Ray?"

Ray was the most unsure out of all of them. He didn't want to disappoint Nuzleaf by doing something she would disapprove of, and was equally nervous about exploring such a potentially dangerous place. Not to mention that he, like Chespin, had advocated against it just a few moments ago.

And yet, as he had made clear to the three of them earlier, he was interested in exploration, and traveling through a place such as a Mystery Dungeon sounded fascinating. Even still, the fact that he was willing to agree surprised even himself.

"I don't think this is a good idea," he admitted, "but if Goomy really wants to prove himself, I'm willing to help him."

Torchic was now overwhelmed by the majority, and had no choice but to comply. "Okay. If we're really doing this, we need to stay safe. Stick together and make sure that none of us get lost." The others nodded in agreement.

"And let's make it clear that we're only exploring for _a little bit._ We need to make sure we get home in time."

There were no objections to these precautions, and the four of them approached the cave entrance with significantly more bravery than they had several minutes ago.

"Alright… here we go, guys," Goomy declared as the four of them stepped into the darkness of the cave.

§§§

The afternoon sunlight quickly faded away, and before long the four Pokémon could see nothing but pitch darkness.

"I can't see anything!" Chespin remarked, his voice echoing slightly off of the cave walls. "How are we supposed to find our way?"

"Don't worry. I'm on it," Torchic replied. Seconds later, Ray leapt back in fright as her plumage set alight, illuminating the space around them with a soft orange glow.

" _Whoa!_ " he exclaimed in shock. "That… doesn't hurt you?"

Torchic chuckled. "I can take it. It's just a little warm to me, is all."

Even still, Ray felt strangely apprehensive in the presence of this fire. Normally he would have been fine, but nervousness was overtaking him. He could only conclude that it was the fact that he was now a Bulbasaur, who are partially grass and plants. And grass and plants, he knew all too well, burned rather nicely. The most he could do was subtly take several steps away from Torchic, hoping not to offend her in any way.

Now with light to guide their path, the four Pokémon pressed onward through the cave. None of them particularly knew what they were looking for, except for perhaps Goomy, who was not speaking of it if this was the case. It was merely their intention to explore and see what they could find.

The scenery of the cavern was not particularly inspiring. The floor was comprised of bland dirt and gravel, while the walls were nothing more than grey rock. Countless dull purple crystals were scattered across the floor, but they did not appear noteworthy. Thankfully for the explorers, the cave did not appear to be inhabited by any wild Pokémon bent on driving them out or looking for an afternoon snack.

The explorers pressed onward for about ten minutes, finding nothing of significance. The path was remarkably linear for what was supposedly a Mystery Dungeon, and the few branching paths they encountered were made into clear choices by a dead end down one of the openings.

"See, guys? This isn't so bad," Chespin finally remarked after quite a long period of silence, slightly startling everyone else.

"Yeah, you're right," Goomy replied, newfound confidence in his voice. "Still… thanks for coming inside with me, you guys."

"No problem," Ray responded. "This has definitely been interesting. I've never been inside a cave like this."

Goomy smiled confidently. "Wait until I tell Pancham and Shelmet about this! I'll finally be able to prove to them that I'm not-"

At that precise moment, a frigid wind suddenly rushed past the four of them, smothering Torchic's fire and plunging them into darkness.

"…A… coward?"

"Torchic! What happened?" Chespin demanded. "Where did the fire go?"

"Didn't you feel that gust of wind?" she replied with vexation. "It blew it out!"

"But… how could there be wind this deep inside a cave?" Ray inquired. The very thought made him uneasy.

"I don't know…" Torchic replied, equally concerned. "Here, let me try and reignite the-"

Before she got the chance, a chorus of ghostly laughter filled the cave around the four of them, sending them into a panic.

"What is that noise?!" Chespin shrieked. "It couldn't be… ghosts, could it?!"

"Whatever it is, it sounds like they're coming for us!" Goomy exclaimed. "We have to run!"

With that, the four of them bolted down the cavern in terror. It was so dark that none of them knew if they were all running in the same direction. The ghostly laughter continued, although it was growing somewhat quieter.

Ray had run in the direction the four of them were initially walking, but in the panic he had felt someone brush past him. This gave him the fear that one or more of the others had taken off in the opposite direction.

Even though it was pitch dark, the path was actually straight, and Ray was surprised to never find himself running into walls. He ran for only several minutes, but in his panic it felt like hours. When the ghostly laughter finally died down and he felt reasonably sure that he was no longer being followed by its source, he stopped to catch his breath. He was immediately startled when he heard someone else panting next to him.

"Wh… who's that?" he apprehensively inquired.

"R-Ray? Is that you?"

"Goomy?"

Ray reached out his hand and confirmed that it was, in fact, Goomy, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Oh, Goomy… it is you. What _was_ that back there?"

"It must have been ghosts," Goomy replied, still catching his own breath. "I heard there were lots of them in the caves around here, but I didn't think it was true. Until now…"

"Are the others with us?" Ray asked. Judging from the lack of response, the two of them rapidly concluded that they were not.

"Oh, no…" Goomy responded in fear. "They must have ran the other way… what if the ghosts caught them? We have to go back and find them!"

Ray was about to agree, but then he noticed something.

"Wait! Do you see that?" He tried his best to convey the direction he was looking in the pitch dark. Goomy eventually noticed the same point of interest, and both of them gazed in its direction for several moments. It was a _very_ faint light at the end of the tunnel they were in.

"Is that… a light?" Goomy inquired. "It looks like there's a small room down there. Should we go see what's in it?"

They nonchalantly agreed, knowing that they did not have many other choices at the moment. Yes, they could turn around and try to find the other two, but with no light to assist them they would, quite literally, be stumbling around in the dark.

The two of them slowly made their way down the corridor, approaching the faint light. They could slowly see each other fade into visibility as they drew closer to the end of the corridor. Finally, they stepped through the doorway at the path's end.

It was as Goomy had predicted: a small chamber. At its corners were four torches, the source of the light, although oddly they were dark purple in color. This made the light as dim as it was. Against the far wall of the room was a white pedestal, and atop it was an item that the two of them couldn't quite identify.

"Whoa…" Goomy remarked as they observed the room. "What is a room like this doing this deep inside a cave?"

Ray did not have an answer as the two of them stepped forward. Aside from the torches and the pedestal, the chamber appeared to be empty.

"Wait… what is that?" Goomy inquired, noticing the artifact atop the pedestal. As they approached it, Ray tried his hardest to stand on his hind legs and grab the artifact from the pillar. He set it down and the two of them studied it closely.

It was a pale-yellow stone, with many jagged edges. Its appearance was similar to the crystals on the ground: it was smooth in texture, and when held up to one of the torches the dim light refracted off its surface.

"It looks like some kind of stone or crystal," Ray concluded. "But why is it here?"

"I don't know…" Goomy replied, equally perplexed. The two studied the odd stone for several moments more, but could notice nothing significant about it.

It was at this point that Ray noticed a dark shadow creeping along the floor behind Goomy. It was rapidly approaching him.

"Um… Goomy? What is that?" he apprehensively inquired.

But Goomy was too late to notice. The shadow reached him, and moments later began to creep up his body and engulf him. He cried out in pain, and Ray cried out his name in terror. He couldn't bring himself to watch what was happening, as he shielded his eyes and turned away.

When it became silent again, Ray reluctantly uncovered his eyes and turned back toward Goomy.

He had been turned to stone.

Ray's eyes widened in horror. " _Goomy!_ " he cried out, rushing over to his friend. Goomy's face had been frozen in the terrified expression he bore as the shadow had engulfed him, and he did not respond to Ray's call. Ray frantically shook him, trying to get him to revert back to his former state, but it was no use.

Ray did not have time to lament, however, as he noticed that countless other shadows were materializing along the floor, in a circle around him. They remained nondescript for several moments, but then began to rise from the floor and take shape into actual beings. As they materialized one by one, their terrifying features became apparent. They were small, purple creatures, with what looked like white gemstones for eyes, all fixated on Ray. Their mouths all curved into toothy grins.

Ray could do nothing but stand petrified in terror as the creatures surrounded him. He could not count their numbers, but knew there were no less than twenty. They spoke no words and made no movements. They simply stared at Ray with their soul-piercing gaze, the black mist from their entry engulfing the floor of the chamber.

"Well, now. In all fair honesty, I did not expect to see someone as young as you here."

At first, the feminine voice seemed to have come from nowhere, but Ray recoiled when its apparent source, a violet-colored ghost, emerged from the ground. Her lower body had the appearance of a dress, while she appeared to be wearing an elegant witch's hat. Her eyes were a deep yellow, not nearly as horrifying as those of the apparitions surrounding Ray, but chilling nonetheless.

"What brings you to this cave, little Bulbasaur?" she inquired. "Do you not know that Mystery Dungeons are no place for a child to play?" Her voice was deceptively friendly, and her mouth was curved into a jagged smile, but Ray knew that her intentions were far less than benign.

"Wh-what did you do to my friend?! And who are you?!" Ray demanded, combatting his own fear.

The ghost, as if merely to flaunt her elegance, performed a quick twirl. "I am Mismagius. A rather lovely mistress of the shadows, you will no doubt agree." She chuckled. "As for your friend, it would seem that my colleagues have taken their toll on him. You, however, have no one to blame but yourselves. Wandering into dark caves all alone is a fine way to get yourselves into trouble."

Mismagius approached Ray, still holding a falsely cordial expression. "Now, then. We do not mean to be a bother, but we require that stone you are holding. If you would kindly give it to me, we can return your friend to normal and pretend this mess never occurred."

Ray, however, saw the writing on the wall. These ghosts had turned his friend to stone, and were presumably the ones who separated them from Torchic and Chespin. Whatever intentions they had with the yellowish stone could not be benevolent. He could not allow them to take it, however much more danger it may cause him.

"I… I won't let you take it!" he declared. "I don't know what you want this stone for, but I do know that it can't be anything good!"

"You are rather intelligent, little Bulbasaur," Mismagius replied. "Unfortunately, if you refuse to give us the stone, I am afraid we will have to take it from you."

At this moment, the ghouls surrounding Ray began to close in on him. He was completely trapped – he could do nothing nor run anywhere to escape. His eyes widened as one of the ghouls phased into the ground and made its way underneath him. Seconds later, it enveloped him just as it had done to Goomy, and he cried out in terror.

But… he did not feel anything, and the shadow soon left him and retreated, leaving him unharmed. He had not been turned to stone as Goomy had.

"Oh? What is this?" Mismagius inquired, a slight trace of vexation on her face. The ghoul which had just retreated turned to her and shook his head.

"Hm… there is something different about you, little Bulbasaur," she concluded. "Please, if you would give me a moment…"

She closed her eyes, and Ray was enveloped in a dark red aura. He was completely unable to move, and his vision was shimmering. This continued for several seconds, after which the aura abruptly faded away and Mismagius's eyes rapidly opened. Her smile disappeared.

"No… this cannot be right…"

In this terrifying moment, she and all of the ghouls turned and fixated their gaze on Ray once more. He felt all too well that he knew what she had discerned about him.

"Hmph… it does not matter," she muttered. "It seems we will simply have to take the stone from you by force. I assure you, it is nothing personal – unfortunately, you have proven to be a hindrance to our designs."

Ray recoiled in shock when she closed her eyes for a moment, and upon opening them they were a dark sanguine red.

" _Dispatch him!_ "

In what seemed like a flash, the ghouls bolted toward Ray, their shadowy claws extended. He seemed to act without thinking, and leapt out of the circle just as they converged on his position. He was shocked by how far he was now able to jump.

This did not, however, prove to be a particularly effective maneuver, as he had simply backed himself into a corner. The ghouls immediately turned around and rushed toward him once more.

Now what was he to do? There were too many of them to leap over, and several had moved to block the doorway, prohibiting any method of escape. They were mere moments away from him, and though his mind was racing at lightning speed, he could think of no solution. Was this the end?

At this precise moment, he felt his instincts kick in. Before he could even realize what was happening, two long vines emerged from the bulb on his back. Never before had he known about this talent, but he suddenly knew that he was able to control these vines. He poured his will into their movement, and they suddenly swept across the floor in front of him, knocking the ghouls back. In this brief moment of respite, all he could do was stare down at himself in disbelief.

" _You fools!_ " Mismagius growled, her sanity having apparently departed. " _What are you doing? I swear, if you fail me now…_ "

What could only be described as a yelp came from the ghouls, who turned back to Ray and focused their efforts once more. But this time Ray was prepared. Even in such a short length of time, he felt that he had mastered the control of his vines. Just as the fiends approached, he whipped them with his vines, much stronger this time, and in such an arc that every last one of them was struck. They flew backward, and upon hitting the ground dissipated into black mist.

The ghouls had all vanished, leaving only Mismagius. However, this attack had siphoned much more of Ray's energy than he had anticipated, and he was left panting as she approached him.

" _You insolent_ brat!" she snarled. " _I will_ pry _that orb from your hands if I must!"_

She pirouetted furiously, and a sphere of shadowy energy began to congregate in front of her. She launched it at Ray, but with what little strength he still had he managed to dodge to the right as it burst into the wall.

She continued to bombard him with dark spheres, and he continued to run. But eventually he found himself completely out of energy and backed into another corner. He collapsed onto his stomach as Mismagius approached him for the final time.

" _At last, your youthful energy has failed you_ ," she scoffed, as one final dark sphere was forming. " _Now, taste the wrath of the shadows and be lost in darkness…_ "

The dark sphere flew at Ray, and all he could do was shut his eyes and await its impact.


	5. Chapter 4

This was not quite the end of Ray's story, however. After waiting for an uncomfortably long moment, he reluctantly opened his eyes to find that the dark sphere had vanished. Judging from the crater on the wall to the side of him, it had apparently been knocked off its path.

Mismagius, in shock and fury, turned toward the entryway. Standing in it were Torchic and Chespin, and floating above them was a Haunter, grinning confidently.

"Sorry, miss, but this party is over," he declared. "I'm afraid you've overstayed your welcome. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave now."

" _Oh, is that so?_ " Mismagius growled. " _You and what army?_ "

Haunter instantly snapped his fingers, and behind him faded in a massive cloud of Ghastly, numbering in the hundreds. Their eyes were all fixated on Mismagius. Haunter fearlessly crossed his arms, or… hands.

Ray did not quite know how he expected Mismagius to respond, but all she did was close her eyes, smile, and chuckle.

"Well… isn't this so very irritating!" she remarked, in her docile tone from before. "I would comment on the disparity of this situation, but this _is_ your home, after all." She opened her eyes, which had returned to their previous yellow color. "Perhaps it may indeed be time for me to leave.

" _However…_ let it be known that I am not finished with you all. Though you may have gotten lucky this time, I still require that stone you refuse to surrender. And I will be sure that it ends up in my hands…"

Her eyes turned red.

" _One way or another._ "

She vanished through the ground. Moments later, Goomy was enveloped in a purple glow, and when it receded, he returned to his normal state and collapsed to the ground.

"Goomy!" Ray exclaimed, rushing over to him.

"What… happened?" Goomy replied, somewhat dazed. "It's like the last few minutes were… nothing but a blur."

Chespin and Torchic rushed over to them. "Ray, what happened here?" Chespin inquired with evident worry. "Are you two alright?"

"Yeah, we're fine," Ray replied. He took the yellowish orb in hand and placed it in front of them. "She and a bunch of other ghosts were after this thing. They turned Goomy to stone, but it didn't work on me for some reason." Goomy looked rather shocked at finding out what had happened to him.

"Wait… you held all those ghosts off by yourself?" Torchic asked.

"Well, yeah. I was by myself after they turned Goomy to stone, so I had to. I would have lost if you guys didn't show up, though."

"Wow, Ray…" Goomy remarked in awe. "I wanted to come into this cave to prove that _I_ was brave, but I think _you're_ the brave one. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't drive off those ghosts and I would have stayed turned to stone…"

Ray smiled. "I would never have let that happen." He turned back to the yellowish orb. "But… what _is_ this orb?" He pointed it out to the Haunter. "Do you know anything about it?"

Haunter scratched his head. "I don't know _exactly_ what it does, but a long time ago this grey Pokémon in a white dress came here and asked us to guard it. It caught us off guard, but she looked important, and we weren't exactly in a position to argue anyway. I don't know what that freak-in-a-dress wants with it, but we weren't having any of that."

"Well, thanks for saving us," Ray responded.

"Don't mention it, buddy!" Haunted replied with a smile. All the Ghastly smiled as well, which he had to admit was the slightest bit creepy.

"We should probably get going," Chespin declared. "Our parents will be wondering where we are." Torchic, Goomy, and Ray nodded in agreement.

"We know a shortcut to the entrance," Haunter remarked. "Just follow us and you'll be out of here in no time."

Ray placed the stone back on its pedestal and the four of them followed Haunter and the Ghastly out the doorway. On their relatively short trip back to the entrance, Torchic and Chespin explained that they had run the opposite direction, straight into the Haunter and Ghastly. It was apparently them who were the source of the ghostly laughter, only attempting to scare the four off and prevent them from taking the stone. Thankfully, any dispute between the groups had been settled by the time they reached the exit.

"Thanks for leading us out of here," Torchic said to Haunter and the Ghastly as they approached the exit. "And sorry for any trouble we caused!"

"Don't sweat it!" Haunter replied with a smile. "We're just glad to see you safe. And we'll be sure to keep that stone safe, right guys?" The Ghastly nodded in agreement.

"Alright, sounds good," Chespin replied. "Thanks for everything!"

The two groups bid each other farewell as the four explorers stepped back into the afternoon sunlight.

§§§

Upon exiting the Mystery Dungeon, the four Pokémon said their farewells and went their separate ways. Goomy rushed home, eager to tell Pancham all about his experience in two days, since the next day was a sort of weekend. And Ray, Chespin, and Torchic headed home as well, hoping not to upset Nuzleaf by arriving an hour late.

None of them, however, were particularly keen on telling their parents about their little adventure. Ray did not wish to dismay Nuzleaf, and feared a substantial punishment for the other two if she found out. So they decided to keep it their own secret… for now.

Nuzleaf's expression upon their entry into the house was slightly less agitated than Ray had anticipated. He figured that Torchic and Chespin had arrived late more than this once, and by now Nuzleaf was rather used to it.

"Oh, you're finally home," she greeted them. "What was keeping you?"

Chespin took the floor, apparently a master of improvisational fibbing. "We, um… we were just hanging out with a few school friends and introducing them to Ray. I guess we lost track of time." Now that Ray thought about it, losing track of time wouldn't be hard to do in this world, what with the lack of any clocks.

"Oh, alright," Nuzleaf replied. "Well, no harm done, I suppose." Chespin and Torchic looked rather relieved.

"So, how was your first day of school here, Ray?" she inquired.

"Fine," he replied. Nuzleaf sighed, likely having heard such a laconic response many times before. "It's definitely… different. I'll say that much."

Nuzleaf chuckled. "Good to hear that it's going well. And how was your day, you two?"

"Good." Another sigh.

"Well… I suppose I should begin on dinner. It's getting late."

Ray just now noticed that the sun was hanging quite low in the sky. The three of them _were_ also rather famished after everything that had unfolded on their little trip. In the meantime, they decided to spend some time outside, which they were left quite wanting to do after shambling through a cave for an hour or so.

The three young Pokémon found themselves sitting along the river which ran closely outside of Nuzleaf's house. Ray was still taking in the scenery of the village, now bathed in slightly more color thanks to the slowly setting sun. Puffy clouds filled the amber sky, and several winged Pokémon sailed past on their journey to places unknown.

"Hey, what is that building over there?" Ray inquired, pointing toward the building with a roof in the shape of a sun. Until now, he had seldom asked about village structures other than the school, and was growing curious.

"That's the café," Chespin replied. "It's called Café Connection. The townspeople go there to share a juice or talk with each other. I think there's a café in the city, too."

Ray nodded. "What about that one?" This time he pointed toward a stand with a sea green-colored roof, in the shape of what looked to be a Pokémon.

"That's Kecleon's shop," Torchic answered. "He sells supplies for explorers. Well… not really explorers like us. More like Pokémon who do it for a living."

At this moment, one particular structure caught Ray's eye. It was a large dead tree with what looked like a door on the front. It was situated on a small island in the river near the back end of the village.

"What's… _that_?" he inquired, pointing it out. It looked as though a chill ran up Chespin and Torchic's spines.

"That's… Mandibuzz's house," Chespin replied. "She hardly ever comes outside. But I've heard that some kids who went over near her house were never seen again."

Ray shivered. For some reason, he found it difficult to visualize someone with malevolent intent in this world. This had been quickly nullified by Mismagius attacking him earlier in the day, but in a setting as quaint as Serene Village, it seemed even less likely.

"I think dinner is almost ready," Torchic remarked, eagerly willing to change the subject of their conversation.

"Well, let's go, then!" Chespin followed. "I'm starving!"

Ray nodded in agreement and the three of them returned to the house. He couldn't help but take one additional glance at the dead tree before stepping inside.

§§§

After a satisfying dinner of vegetable stew, the rest of the evening bounded past. It was well past dark before Ray knew it, and he soon realized just how tired he was after everything that had unfolded that day. Not only was it his first day of school in this new world, but he had explored a Mystery Dungeon and faced a dangerous foe in combat. Thankfully, tomorrow began the "weekend," meaning he could take a well-deserved break from school.

The house was winding down for the night, and Torchic and Chespin began their nighttime preparations. Ray was beginning to do the same, but then he heard a knock at the door.

"Oh, who could that be at this hour?" Nuzleaf grumbled, still finishing putting away the last of the dishes. "Ray, could you please get that?"

Ray walked over to the door, equally curious of who would be visiting them this late at night. Regrettably, he was too short to be able to see through the door's window, and had to open it without a clue of who had knocked.

Standing behind the door was a Dedenne, wearing a circular gold badge with wings on it. In his hands was a sealed letter.

"Get out here, right now," he whispered.

"What?!" Ray replied equally as quiet, but was dragged out the door before he could protest. The two moved to the side of the house where none of the others could see them.

"You're Ray, aren't you?" the Dedenne inquired.

"H-how do you know my name?" Ray replied with trepidation. Dedenne answered by handing him the sealed letter.

"That letter is for _your eyes only_ ," the Dedenne reinforced. "Don't show it to anyone else or you'll be sorry."

Confusion dominated Ray's face. "Who is this from? And who are you?"

Dedenne turned around. "If I were you, I would keep your questions to yourself. Asking questions is a good way to get into trouble."

And then he ran off without another word, before Ray could even respond. He was still processing what had just occurred, but was nonetheless curious of the contents of the letter he just received. With some degree of hesitation, he tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter.

 _Ray. At least, I think that's your name._

 _Come to the Expedition Society tomorrow and talk to Guildmaster Ampharos. Don't worry – he'll know exactly why._

 _I don't care how you get here, but be sure it's before dark. If you somehow don't know where we are, we're in Lively Town. Don't forget that._

 _Don't ask questions, don't be late, and DO NOT SHOW THIS LETTER TO ANYONE ELSE. We'll make you regret it._

Ray had to stop for a moment when he read " _talk to Guildmaster Ampharos._ " What would the leader of a group as prestigious as the Expedition Society want with him? Not to mention that the remainder of the letter was equally cryptic and perplexing. He didn't even know who exactly it was from, as it was not signed.

Nonetheless, he decided that he needed to put this mystery to rest. But how would he get to the Expedition Society tomorrow? He had the workings of a fundamentally basic plan, considering that tomorrow was the weekend. Even so, vising the Society without anyone else knowing, as was demanded in the letter, would be no easy task.

Ray realized how long he had been outside contemplating his options, and rushed back into the house, keeping the letter concealed.

"Who was that, Ray?" Nuzleaf inquired as he stepped through the door.

"Um… it was just… someone trying to sell us stuff," he lied. Did cold callers even exist in the Pokémon world?

"Oh, alright," Nuzleaf accepted his response, much to his relief. Torchic and Chespin were climbing into bed at this point, and Ray decided it was about time for him to do the same. But first, he decided to put his "plan," however basic it was, into action.

"Hey, Nuzleaf?" he asked her. "Could we… possibly take a trip to Lively Town tomorrow?" Torchic and Chespin's heads instantly perked up at the sound of his question. He could only assume that going to town was one of their favorite things to do.

"I don't see why not," Nuzleaf replied. "Any particular reason you'd like to?"

"Not really… I just wanted to see what it was like," Ray followed. His reasoning wasn't _completely_ false, as he was curious what a large town in this world would be like, in contrast to a quaint settlement like Serene Village.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun!" Chespin remarked, clearly on board with Ray's idea. Torchic nodded to express her approval, as well.

"All right," Nuzleaf replied. "Sounds like a plan. We'll go tomorrow morning. You kids should get some sleep, though."

"Okay, Mom," Chespin sighed in response. Ray, much more eager than the other two to go to sleep, climbed into his bed. He wanted plenty of rest before tomorrow – he had a mystery on his hands, regarding the Expedition Society, and was determined to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

 _"_ _You disgust me, Mismagius. You failed to pry the orb from a child's grasp?"_

 _"_ _His friends intervened just before I could finish him. They were allied with too many ghosts to count. We would have been decimated."_

 _"_ _Very well. You will see to it that you return to that cave and secure the orb with assistance, then. The others should be returning from their errands in due time."_


End file.
